First cities announce Chief Heat Officers

Miami-Dade County has named Jane Gilbert as its first ever Chief Heat Officer.

It is understood to be the first position of its type globally. Athens in Greece and Freetown in Sierra Leone have pledged to also appoint Chief Heat Officers, and more cities are expected to follow.

Gilbert, who previously served as Chief Resilience Officer for the City of Miami from 2016 to 2020, will co-lead an interagency Heat Health Task Force to be formed this summer and co-ordinate efforts to protect people from heat.

“In Miami-Dade County, we know heat,” said Mayor Daniella Levine Cava. “As the impacts of heat grow, they are further compounded by hurricanes, floods, and sea level rise. And we know...